Air travel: International passenger demand fell 98 per cent in May this year

Travel Biz News —

Passenger demand in May this year, measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs, dropped 91.3 per cent compared to May 2019, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The improvement was driven by recovery in some domestic markets, most notably China.

International passenger demand fell 98.3 per cent in May compared to May 2019, virtually unchanged from the 98.4 per cent decline recorded in April.

European carriers’ May demand contracted 98.7 per cent compared to last year, virtually unchanged from a 98.9 per cent drop in April, year-over-year, and the worst decline among regions.

Asia-Pacific airlines’ May traffic plunged 98.0 per cent compared to the year-ago period, also in line with a 98.2 per cent recorded in April.

Similarly, airlines from Middle Eastern countries, North American carriers, Latin American airlines and African airlines experienced a passenger demand drop in May this year due to outbreak of Covid – 19 across the world.  

China’s carriers posted a 49.9 per cent year-on-year decline in traffic in May, significantly improved from the 64.6 per cent demand drop recorded in April.

US airlines’ domestic traffic was down 89.5 per cent in May, an improvement over the 95.6 per cent decline experienced in April. However, the recent rise in infection rates in key US states following the lifting of lockdown restrictions could negatively impact the budding recovery.

“We appear to be in the very early stages of a recovery in air travel. But the situation is fragile. We need governments to support and strengthen the restart by quickly implementing the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO’s) global guidelines for restoring air connectivity contained in ICAO’s Takeoff: Guidance for Air Travel through the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“ The first improvements in passenger demand are occurring in domestic markets. International traffic remained virtually stopped in May. We are only at the very beginning of a long and difficult recovery. And there is tremendous uncertainty about what impact a resurgence of new COVID-19 cases in key markets could have,” he said.

July 2 , 2020 Image : UNWTO